Shoestring advert stars gentle yeti

If you thought you spotted a yeti at the Remarkables ski area in June, your eyes were not deceiving you.

But relax - you are unlikely to see the mythical 2m-high Himalayan creature, also known as an Abominable Snowman, again, not unless Auckland advertising agency Colenso BBDO breaks out the Weta Workshop creation for a follow-up to its television advertising campaign for Land Search and Rescue (LandSAR).

Colenso came up with the idea for the advertisement in April.

It features an injured tramper named Dave who dreams he is rescued by the yeti and carried to safety.

Creative director Nick Worthington said the company was approached to write the advertisement and thought the yeti idea was "probably the most original", particularly for a charity dealing with serious [incidents] . . . and deaths.

"We just thought it would be fantastic to tell a story with a little bit of humour."

Mr Worthington said because LandSAR had virtually no budget to create the advertisement, Colenso staff gave their time voluntarily and others quickly followed suit.

"When we were looking for a yeti suit, the guys at Weta put their hands on one and sent two guys up with it."

The suit also featured animatronics - motorised facial functions, remotely controlled.

"He [the yeti] could give you a wink if you wanted.

"We had a real man in the suit, but all the facial expressions were controlled by motors."

The advertisement, which has been screening regularly on television for several weeks, is aimed at raising the profile of the search organisation.

National LandSAR chairman Phil Melchior, of Wanaka, said the advertisement was made possible through a TVNZ Community Partnership programme.

LandSAR - which has about 2000 volunteers - was one of four charitable organisations selected by TVNZ from about 200.

The four groups will receive $50,000 free advertising every month for two years.

"Making that ad, from the very start of the creative process to the end of the actual film-making, probably would have cost $700,000. It cost us about $50,000."

Mr Melchior said the yeti advertisement would continue to be shown on television for the next two years and would be backed up by a a print advertising campaign.

"It's fairly early days . . . but anecdotally it has been very positive."